Watch The Green Prince

The Green Prince is an enthralling documentary film from 2014, directed by Nadav Schirman. It tells the gripping true story of the Mossad's incredible recruitment of Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a top Hamas leader, Sheikh Hassan Yousef. The film combines interviews with the two protagonists, dramatizations, archival footage, and a pulsing soundtrack to create an immersive and thought-provoking experience.

The film opens with Mosab Hassan Yousef recounting his childhood in Ramallah, West Bank. He explains that he was raised to hate Israel and Jews and to become a warrior for the Palestinian cause, following in the footsteps of his father and other family members who were involved in Hamas. However, Mosab's life takes a dramatic turn when he is arrested by the Israeli authorities for buying weapons for Hamas. In jail, he witnesses the brutal treatment of his fellow Palestinians and becomes disillusioned with the violent tactics of Hamas. He soon realizes that "freedom fighters" are killing innocent civilians and that the people he was raised to hate are not the monsters his father and Hamas portray them to be.

This realization sets the stage for Mosab's transformation into an unlikely mole for the Israeli secret service, the Mossad. In a tense and risky maneuver, Gonen Ben Yitzhak, a veteran Mossad agent, approaches Mosab while he is in prison and offers him a way out of jail if he agrees to spy on Hamas for Israel. Mosab takes the deal, and from that moment on, his life is turned upside down.

The Green Prince delves into the intense and intricate relationship between Mosab and Gonen, who becomes Mosab's handler and mentor. The two men form an unlikely bond, with Gonen treating Mosab like a son and teaching him how to blend in with Israelis, pray in a synagogue, and even drink alcohol. Mosab, in turn, provides invaluable intelligence to Israel, preventing numerous terror attacks and saving countless lives.

The film also explores the ethical dilemmas Mosab faces, as he betrays his father and Hamas and becomes a traitor to his own people. Mosab's interviews are candid and poignant, as he reflects on the psychological toll of his double life, the fear of being found out, and the guilt of lying to his family and community. The Green Prince does an excellent job of humanizing Mosab and showing his vulnerability and humanity.

The film does not shy away from the complexities and controversies surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict. It highlights the violence and suffering on both sides, the political and religious motivations driving the conflict, and the difficulty of finding a peaceful resolution. The Green Prince is not a political film per se, but it does provide a nuanced and personal insight into the conflict, which is often reduced to simplistic headlines and stereotypes in the media.

The Green Prince is a testament to the power of storytelling and the resilience of the human spirit. It is a thrilling and emotional journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you think long after the credits roll. The film is a must-see for anyone interested in espionage, Middle Eastern politics, and the human condition.

The Green Prince is a 2014 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 67.